Federal workers are generally paid on a biweekly schedule, with most employees receiving pay every two weeks. There are typically 26 pay dates per year, though some years can have 27 pay days due to the calendar and payroll rules. Pay periods usually run from Sunday through Saturday, and paydays commonly occur a few days after the end of each pay period, depending on the payroll provider and banking arrangements. Overtime, leave accruals, and other pay components follow the same biweekly cycle for most federal staff. Key nuances to note:
- Most civilian federal employees are paid biweekly, but there are exceptions for certain agencies or job classifications that follow different pay calendars. Some individuals, like members of the military or certain retirees, may have different Pay schedules (e.g., monthly in some contexts) but these are not the norm for standard civilian federal employees.
- The exact pay date and the number of pay days in a year can vary by payroll provider (e.g., NFC, DFAS, NBC, GSA) and by whether the year contains 26 or 27 pay periods. Employees should refer to their agency’s payroll calendar for their specific dates.
- During government shutdowns or furloughs, pay continuity can be disrupted for some employees, depending on exemptions and agency decisions, while others may face delays or stoppages; this can alter the regular biweekly pattern for those affected.
If you’d like, I can tailor this to a specific agency (e.g., DOD DFAS, GSA, NFC) or provide links to the official payroll calendars so you can see your exact pay dates for the current or upcoming year.
